Second Attempts
by justmellarkingabout
Summary: Gale needs a second attempt at a new life. He find's himself in district 7, only to show up on the doorstep of one Johanna Mason. (Johale shipping, other relationship referances. Mockingjay spoilers.) Multiple Chapters- though some are very short. Please Review!
1. Chapter 1

1.

Things in Panem had settled down once more. The war was over, and the rebels in District 2 had been dealt with. Gale's job was over. He was free to go home… but as much as he wanted to see his family, there was one thing still holding him back; Katniss Everdeen. He knew he would not be able to face her yet. He had seen the look in her eyes, and this is not something she could forgive him for. She didn't need him anyway. This was the tipping point of her affection, and he'd just tipped it Peeta's way for good. There was no way now to get back into her heart, and after everything that had happened, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

Gale made the decision to wait a while before returning to district 12. It was no longer his home, nor where he thought he should be. He would find himself a new home, in another district now the barriers between them were down, but which district? He could remain in 2, and work the quarry but it would be hard, and there was nowhere for him to roam outside. No woods, no fields…. He considered district 4, where he would be able to fish. It was a viable option for sure, but his heart wasn't in it. He wanted somewhere with trees, somewhere to hunt, and work and think, to be alone with his thoughts, and bury himself in hard labour. Then it came to him; District 7. The perfect place. He could hunt and work. It was like district 12 without him actually being there. He could think of Katniss hunting and not feel guilty. Gale decided what he needed most was time. Time that district 7 could offer.

As soon as Gale decided his destination, he packed his bag, and the next day he was in district 7. The driver of the freight train Gale had caught, told him his best chance of finding accommodation was to stay with somebody and pay rent, as houses were very expensive and hard to come by. He spent the day walking around district 7, hoping to find somewhere to stay. It was late in the evening and the only accommodation he had been offered was by a little old lady, and he wasn't sure he wanted to stay with her. It was looking like he was going to have to spend the night on the street. This was a big mistake after all. He was just deciding to go back to district 12, when he came across a circle of houses. These houses were not like any he had seen in the rest of 7… They were bigger and more extravagant than the others. He looked around the circle, most seemed empty and baron, only a couple had lights in the windows. It was cold outside and he didn't fancy spending it outside on the train platform, so after a moment's deliberation he knocked on the nearest door. A voice came from within "Hang on, hang on! I'm coming!" Gale figured it was a woman. He could hear thrashing and footsteps coming from inside as the woman searched for her door keys. Gale heard the key turn in the lock, and the door opened. There stood a slight woman with wide brown eyes and straight short hair. She had her arms crossed across her scraggly dressing gown, and stared at Gale viciously; "Do I know you?" She said pointedly.

"Yes. Yes you do." Replied Gale, for this was the second time they had crossed paths. He couldn't believe he was once terrified of the small fragile looking woman stood before him, yet after remembering that she was a victor of The Hunger Games, he thought it best not to provoke Johanna Mason any further.


	2. Chapter 2

Though Johanna Mason didn't recognise her visitor, she welcomed the company. For months she'd been lying to herself, telling herself that she wasn't lonely, that she could return to the normal life she lived before the quell. Managing by herself. Yet as she tried to get back into her normal routine, she found herself missing the life she'd just left. The busy life. The life with friends, not the lonely life she'd returned to. She'd call Katniss, now and then, but she couldn't bring herself to visit. She'd planned to see Annie, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. She didn't have friends in this district… After all her family was dead.

Johanna allowed the young man to stay, he did have a faint familiarity, and a friend of Katniss was a friend of hers. She gave him a tour of the house that didn't really feel like home. It was empty and bleak, some of the rooms she hadn't even been into since her family died. She showed the young man, Gale as he introduced himself, into the guest bedroom, saying he was welcome to it. He nodded but Johanna had learned to read people like a book, she could see the reluctance in his eyes. She looked at the room, and noticed a fine layer of dust settled over everything, even the floor was covered. "I don't have a lot of guests" She admitted.

"I can see that" He said jokingly "…but thank you" He said sincerely to Johanna, picking up the pillow and beating it to get out the dust. Johanna watched this in horror;

"No… You are not staying in here." She grabbed his wrist and led him into her own, master bedroom. "This is your room now." She nodded and indicated for him to put his stuff on the huge bed, which took up most of the room.

"Isn't this your room?" Gale looked confusedly at Johanna.

"I prefer the sofa" She said, nodding her head nonchalantly.

"No, I can't do that, Johanna. I'll sleep on the sofa." He stood up, and refused.

"You are my guest; you'll do as I say." Johanna crossed her arms and stubbornly rejected his decline. She switched on the light, as it was dark outside now. "I'm downstairs if you need me. You know where the kitchen is." She shrugged her shoulders and walked out into the dark landing. She went downstairs, and silence fell for the rest of the evening.


	3. Chapter 3

A few days passed, and Gale found himself logging in the district 7 forest. It was a hard job, with no room for mistakes, but yet he found himself enjoying the hard labour. Everybody was friendly and he had made friends. Work started at 9am, and finished at 5:30. After work he'd go to the local pub, with new friends Sorren, and Gulliver and have a quick drink before going back to the house for dinner. He liked Johanna, though she wasn't much of a cook, they were strangely similar and got along well. They didn't feel the need to talk if it wasn't necessary, but when they did they rarely had a disagreement. They could joke with each other and continue doing so for some time as they both had a similar sense of humour, and didn't get offended easily. They began to grow as friends, and Johanna didn't ask him for anything. All she wanted was the company.

Gale refused to keep taking up the bed in Johanna's room, so she cleaned up the guest bedroom for him, but on the first night he slept in there the slats holding the mattress up broke, rendering the bed useless, so it was back to the previous sleeping arrangement, but as he soon found out there was a reason Johanna wanted to sleep on the sofa… Her medication made her weak, and drowsy, and sick, and after she'd administered it, there was no way she could make it upstairs. On a bad day she'd collapse where she stood, which could sometimes result in nasty accidents. She'd woken up a few times in a puddle of her own blood. Of course there was no one there to check on her…


	4. Chapter 4

A few weeks had passed since Gale first arrived, and it was safe to say that Gale and Johanna were officially friends, and the house that was once just a house to Johanna, was now home. Gale had taken over the cooking after a nasty bout of food poisoning from Johanna's stew. It was clear cooking wasn't her forte. Johanna started to become sicker and had to double up on her medication, it was common for her now to spend whole days on the sofa now, passed out not moving, staring at the same spot on the wall. There was no name for her sickness, but it was not only physical but physiological too, physicians said the Games and rebellion had resulted in damage to her psyche, similar to what Annie had, yet her addiction to morphling had made it worse, and though she hadn't lost her mind completely, it was only a matter of time.

It was too common now for Gale to return home, to find Johanna passed out on the sofa, but now he thought nothing of it. He just covered her with a blanket, stoked the fire, and switched off the light. He had asked her why she didn't just take her medication upstairs, so she explained how she became paranoid that if something happened she wouldn't be able to get out of the house. That was one thing about Johanna now, paranoia had taken over her life, she was scared, worried and fragile, and Gale couldn't understand how the strong woman he had met last year could turn into this broken girl, which was now how he saw her. So he decided it would be his job to care for her. He was determined to make her better, whether she wanted him to or not. Johanna Mason had taken him in when he had nowhere else to go. It was now his turn to repay the favour. Whatever it takes.


	5. Chapter 5

After 2 weeks of constant care and attention from Gale (when he could offer it- he'd ditched his attempt at a social life to care for her), it seemed like Johanna's health was getting better. She could get up and walk around, clean, and garden, laugh and joke, closer to normal than she had been when Gale first arrived… But then it got worse. Worse than any district 7 physician, Gale and Johanna herself could ever expect.

Gale wasn't home when her health took a downwards spiral. It started with a nose bleed in the morning. This was nothing new. She merely mopped it up with a tissue, but then an hour later the coughing started, the dizziness, the sickness, and the weakness. Gale came home to find Johanna collapsed on the floor, her head in a pool of blood. He rushed to her side, calling the ambulance, who rushed her to the hospital in the Capitol. They hooked Johanna into a drip, and wired her up. The capitol doctors and surgeons could help her, save her life even, make sure this never happened again, but that's not what Johanna wanted. She'd said it herself a few days ago. They were standing in the kitchen before Gale went to work, making sandwiches when Johanna confessed that capitol medication and an operation could save her. Make sure none of this happened ever again… but that's not what she wanted. She still refused everything the capitol once stood for. Yet since Johanna was on deaths door, and Gale was the only person close to her, he was now her next of kin. It was his job to decide what happened. Johanna's fate was in his hands….. If he ignored Johanna's wishes she would surely kick him out, or kill him… If she lived... And her chances of surviving this were becoming slimmer by the second. There was only one right way to go about it…

So when the doctor asked Gale; "Mr. Hawthorne, we're ready to operate, is that okay?"

Gale replied "Yes."


	6. Chapter 6

Johanna awoke in a large white room, the smell of antiseptic heavy in the air, her breath quickening because she knew exactly where she was. The Capitol. She began to struggle, noticing how easy it was because she was not strapped in, like she would have been after the games. They were going to kill her, she had to escape, plans running through her head as she tried to take the tubes and pipes out of her arm. All of a sudden a large pair of arms began to pull her down towards the bed. Her vision still hazy and being withheld still making her panic more. She began to flail her arms and lash out, towards the body looming over her, only this one didn't look like a capitol doctor… this one didn't have the cold touch… this one didn't smell like clean, antiseptic as they perhaps should of done. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!" Johanna screamed, her abdomen hurting and her lungs burning.

"Shhh…. Jo, it's me." The dark figure spoke calmly, his grip softening. "Just lie back down" he pushed her softly back down, towards her pillow.

"No! Let me go!" Still struggling, her vision slowly coming back into focus, she realised who was actually pulling her back. "Gale….. where am I?" She stared at his face. She watched his face intently as he sat down on the chair next to the bed.

"Jo, we're in the capitol" He observed her then panicked face "It's okay, we're in the hospital, you're going to be okay now" He smiled, clearly relieved to have her awake. Gale lifted his arm and caressed her face carefully, before taking his hand away, realising what he'd just done. He placed his hand back on his lap, and awkwardly looked away.

"What have they done to me?" Johanna's words were barely a whisper, she looked at Gale confused.

"I'm sorry Johanna." Gale looked away, refusing to meet Johanna's eyes.

"Gale please?"

"What do you remember?" He met her gaze, his eyes welling with tears slightly. Johanna closed her eyes and tried to think back to before;

"I remember… I remember you leaving… then I got up, got my meds and then… nothing. I can't remember. What happened? Did I pass out?"

"Yeah, you passed out… and when I got back you were in a pool of your own blood… I called the doctors and they rushed you to the hospital… you were still unconscious and, I was scared, and, well… Jo, I'm sorry but I said that they could operate on you. I know you didn't want to have the operation but…"

"Gale stop." Johanna interrupted; Gale stopped and looked at her. "You saved my life."

"But you said you didn't want the operation-"

"It's okay. Gale, I know what I said, but it wasn't like I was thinking properly… Gale you've saved my life." She attempted a tired smile, reaching out for his hand. Gale returned the smile, taking her hand and squeezing it tightly. "So… when can I get out of this hell?" Gale chuckled;

"Still cracking jokes in her sick bed." He shook his head, looking down, a smirk spread across his face, not even attempting to let go of her hand, while Johanna went back to sleep, morphling coursing through her veins.


	7. Chapter 7

"Hurry up, Jo! We're going to miss the train!" Gale stood by the front door, bag in hands, as a stronger looking Johanna limped down the hallway towards him on her crutches. It had been 3 weeks since they had returned from the capitol and Johanna, though not completely healed yet, was getting better by the day. She was to take morphling injections throughout the day, along with a whole host of other drugs, and until further notice use a wheelchair. Johanna felt she could cope with the medication, but she refused to be pushed around everywhere by Gale. That was not on the cards.

However Gale did not feel the same way. Gale had once more become her personal carer, cooking, cleaning, and entertaining the guests that occasionally came round to check on Johanna. He knew she wasn't happy about it, but if there was one person's order he was going to follow, it would be the doctors, and the doctor had ordered bed rest, until she was able to stand for more than 5 minutes. The problems started as soon as she could stand. She refused the use of the wheelchair, and tried to carry on doing things she would usually do, but Gale would have none of it. They fought for hours on end about it, Johanna insisting she was perfectly capable, Gale insisting she wasn't, it would only end when Johanna would start getting tired.

Tomorrow was the day of Posy's birthday, and Gale had promised he would go down and see his family, but he couldn't leave Johanna. The only resolve to this was to take Johanna with him. She was strong enough to walk, and talk for a while, and when she wasn't he could take the wheelchair, though Johanna was insisting she could use her crutches, he wasn't prepared to have another argument with her when the train left in an hour- which happened to be the amount of time it would take them to reach the station. "What are we waiting for then?" Johanna replied, hobbling past Gale, and into the bitter air of the cold winter morning.


	8. Chapter 8

** JOHANNA **

I wasn't best pleased with Gale when we arrived. We had another argument about the wheelchair at the start of the train ride, and we'd spent the rest of the journey in an awkward silence. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to talk, but I wasn't going to be the first one to say sorry. He needed to apologise first.

I made a point of getting off the train on my crutches. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me use the wheelchair. He silently helped me jump off the train (as there was no station or platform here) and led the way through the surprisingly small town, of district 12. I'd only been here a couple of times, once for my victory tour, and again just after the war, when the place was in ruin. It had come a long way since then. Most of the buildings had been rebuilt, and the streets looked cleaner and less grey than they did before… Well, I'm hardly surprised; everything looked cleaner since they stopped the coal mining.

I hobbled on my crutches after Gale, who was striding far ahead of me, pushing our bags on the wheelchair. We walked through streets; I wondered how Gale could possibly know where he was going, I mean surely when they rebuilt 12, they rebuilt it differently… He turned round occasionally, checking I was following, a smirk on his face, when he saw I was struggling, though I powered on. That stubborn mule would not get the better of me. Not now, not ever.

Corner after corner, street after street, we seemed to be leaving the main town and getting further and further away, the houses getting fewer in number, and looking slightly more warn and tattered. About 20 meters ahead of me, Gale stopped and stared at a small detached house. I began to approach once more, when a girl with long dark hair and olive skin sprinted out and launched herself into Gale's arms. He picked her up, and embraced her, swinging her round in his arms. Emotion is not something I freely admit to- but I was touched by this display. Gale knelt down next to the girl, who was little over his waist height, still holding her in his arms. I stood back and watched, not wanting to interrupt, a feeling of warmth running through me.

In the doorway stood the rest of Gale's family. Each one of them looked alike, all with dark hair and olive skin; I couldn't help noticing that many of the people walking around this side of town had these traits too. It was strange to look at. Gale released his sister and ran to the rest of his family, giving them all a big squeeze. I was about to back away, give them some privacy when, a woman who could only be Gale's mother, beckoned me forward. I looked away with a smile, beginning once more to stumble towards them on my crutches. The older looking boy, who could be no older than 15, ran up to me and helped me along, he smiled at me nervously quietly introducing himself as Rory. It was common for me to have an effect on people, making them nervous- I was after all a vicious winner of the games, but I didn't think I looked half as scary now my hair had grown back. Obviously not, I was still as terrifying as ever to these children.

As I reached the porch steps, his mother engulfed me in a bear hug. "I'm Hazelle! Gale's mother, but you already knew that didn't you. Gales told me so much! Are you okay? Do you need a chair?" Something told me I wasn't about to get a word in edgeways with this woman, so I just nodded my head and smiled, as she ran inside followed by the 3 kids. I looked at Gale, who mouthed the words sorry and looked towards his feet, obviously embarrassed. I let go of my crutch and took his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze, letting him know that he shouldn't be embarrassed. He squeezed back, and guided me inside not letting my hand go.


	9. Chapter 9

The day was going well. Everybody really hit it off with Johanna, Vick, Rory, Posy adored her and when presented with her birthday gifts she squealed with joy. Johanna presented Posy with a small intricately carved flower, which she had made herself in the hours of the day where she had nothing to do. Posy stared at the flower, enraptured by the detail and intricacy of the leaves and petals. It could almost be real. Johanna watched the fascination on the child's face with a smile on her lips and a warm feeling in her heart. Then something happened which surprised Johanna, Posy turned around and hugged her. "Thank you Johanna, you're the best. I'm going to keep it forever." Posy released, and ran off with her flower, hiding it somewhere safe. Johanna straightened up, her eyes welling up with tears; Posy reminded her of the younger brother she once had.

Johanna was usually very good at hiding her emotions. Never one to cry, but a single tear rolled down her cheek. Gale ran over to her and engulfed her in a hug.

"Jo, what's wrong?" He whispered in her ear.

"Nothing, Gale don't worry about it." She pushed him away, drying her eyes up, attempting to regain her composure. The look Gale gave her made it clear that he didn't believe her. He let go of her, awkwardly stepping away. Neither of them were used to physical contact, or felt particularly comfortable with it, yet the more time they spent together, the more idle touches they started to share. The brushing of arms, nudges, and the occasional hand holding was little out of the ordinary from now on, but hugging was a new level they had not explored.

Gale was sitting on the floor doing a jigsaw with Posy, while Johanna napped on the sofa. Vick and Rory were busy playing with Posy's new toys, and Hazelle sat at the table, smiling contented to her watching all of her family together. Hazelle placed a blanket over the snoozing Johanna. "She won't like you fussing over her mother." Gale called to Hazelle in a whisper.

"I don't want her getting cold!" She called back, matching his tone.

"You're only going to cause a commotion when she wakes up."

"She's a lovely girl, and she won't say anything. She has more manners than you."

"Gale, why don't you carry her upstairs?" Posy piped up.

"I can't do that Posy, she sleeps so lightly! The slightest movement wakes her up. I'm surprised you putting the blanket on her didn't wake her up!" Johanna rolled over and everybody fell silent again, but she didn't wake up so they continued.

"Poor thing, she's exhausted!" Hazelle cooed.

"You talk about her like she's Posy's age! She's older than me!" Saying that Gale checked his watch and said "She's going to have to wake up now anyway. Medication time."

Gale scooted over to the sofa where Johanna napped and softly shook her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings- the blanket, Posy, Gale and Hazelle smiling at her from the corner. "That time already?" She let out a tired smile.

"I'm afraid so." Gale pulled her up and took her into the kitchen where her medication was being kept cool. They talked and laughed, it was a slow process and it helped to keep a light attitude. Just as Johanna was taking her last tablet the door went. As Johanna and Gale re-entered the lounge/diner, they were met by 2 faces, neither of them had seen in a long while. Gale went pale and the room went silent as he stared into the faces of the two people he was actively trying to avoid; Peeta and Katniss.


	10. Chapter 10

**GALE**

I don't know how Johanna was managing to stay quiet; I was squeezing the life out of her hand. She squeezed back reassuringly. The second of silence, felt like an hour, yet the words smith broke the silence. "Johanna! Good to see you! How are you feeling?" Peeta gave Johanna a hug, and pecked her on the cheek. I saw the awkward look pass across her face- she wasn't comfortable with this physical contact, yet she smiled back with a friendly few words. Then Peeta turned to me and held out his right hand, there for me to shake. I was frozen to the spot. Do I shake the hand of the man who stole the only girl I ever loved? I glanced at Katniss who watched me with a stony expression, but it was clear to see the look of adoration on her face when she glanced at Peeta. I knew she'd never love me again. There was only one right thing to do at this point… and that was to shake the hand of the real winner of these games.

Peeta looks uncomfortable now, his hand still extended, watching my face intently. I feel Johanna squeeze my hand again, she can read me like a book. I look into Peeta's blue eyes, and force a smile. I give his hand a brisk shake, and watch a look of relief wash over everybody's face. Jo looks up at me and smiles. She knows my pain. She lets go of my hand and runs to Katniss, who refuses to look me in the eye. Peeta smiles again and begins talking to mother, and Posy. Vick and Rory are nowhere to be seen.

I stand in a corner and watch the evening unfold. Peeta talks to mother about recipes, while Johanna sits on the sofa with Katniss having a chat. I kneel down next to Posy, who is admiring the gift Katniss and Peeta had presented her with, while finishing a slice of cake which Peeta baked. Johanna was wondering why I hated Peeta so much; aside from the obvious reason. She told me that he was nice, preached all his good qualities to me… but that was the annoying thing, he does all this great stuff and he's nice. He only wants what's best for the people he loves… although I'm not sure how it's working with Katniss after the hijacking and all that… It's pointless me worrying about her now though. She made her decision. After 5 minutes Peeta joins Katniss and Jo on the sofa, sitting right next to Katniss she puts her head on his shoulder and he kisses her sweetly on the nose and then on her cheek as she blushes. And then it all gets too much. It's too sickly sweet and I need to get air.


	11. Chapter 11

**Johanna**

It was disgusting. How could anything be so sickly sweet? Yet I smiled along, playing the part of the doting friend as Peeta repeatedly kissed Katniss. How I despise public displays of affection, but it was good to see them after all. Yes they bought back painful memories but they were my friends. Katniss had invited me to stay with her. She said Peeta could sleep in the bakery (she whispered "again" to me, meaning Peeta has been in the dog house more than once… or maybe he'd banish himself there if he turned… I didn't want to read into it.) I accepted. As much as I loved staying with Gale, the house was a little small and I didn't want to impose on these kind people. This was family time, and I wasn't family.

I glanced over at Gale occasionally, and it was clear he wasn't enjoying this. He was making no effort whatsoever to hide his contempt. I wanted to tell him off, tell him it was Posy's day and he shouldn't ruin it. I was about to get up and tell him so, when he abruptly got up and walked out. Silence fell over the room. Hazelle went to follow him, but I told her to sit back down. I grabbed my crutches and limped out after him, following him to the porch. "Gale! Wait up!" He sat down on the step.

"Go back inside Jo." He said, his voice monotone and heartless.

"I'm not going anywhere Gale." I made a point of saying his name.

"It's cold out here, and you're tired. Go inside Johanna." I dropped my crutches and sat next to him on the step. It was cold, but I wasn't going to go back inside without him.

"I thought you were over that."

"Me too… It's just strange Jo… I can't describe what I'm feeling." He looked at me, his eyes glassy.

"Let me guess… you thought you'd moved on, but there was always something inside of you clinging on, and now it's like that final rope has been cut. You're free… but it's a sad kind of free, a lonely kind of free" I looked away trying to hold back the tears that came with these words. The tears that came with the memories. The corner of his mouth twitched up.

"You hit the nail on the head there" He didn't notice me welling up thank goodness "- but you missed something out… there's a good part of it too…" And for once, I didn't recognise the look on his face. The look in his eyes, cheeky, a smirk, cocky, arrogant- I didn't know what it meant! And then he kissed me.

Warmth spread through me, though the kiss only lasted for seconds I could still feel the warmth radiating through me. I wanted to kiss him again. He smirked at me. "The good part is that I'm free. Free to feel how I want to feel, without feeling guilty." And with that he pulled me up on my feet and we walked back inside like nothing had ever happened.

I was awake now and I didn't feel like going back to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

12.

Nothing was done, and nothing was said. Nobody knew apart from those two, or so they thought. Or so they wanted to think, they didn't notice Katniss watching from the window. She watched with intense silence, while Peeta socialised with the rest of the Hawthorne family. Nobody noticed apart from her. She considered calling somebody to see this exchange pass between the two most introvert people she knew… but something stopped her. She may have hated Gale's guts but there was something deep within her that hurt watching him kiss Johanna. She wasn't mistaken either, Gale was definitely the one to make the move. She watched Gale walk in and moved swiftly away from the window, she couldn't tell him that she watched. Neither of them would like her for that.

At the end of the party Katniss wheeled a tired Johanna back to the house she shared with Peeta. It was too lonely living alone. Johanna noticed something the matter with Katniss, something in the way Katniss was treating her, that made her unnerved. She was too tired and weak to consult Katniss on this matter but she recognised the all too familiar look on Katniss' face; it was the "I'd like to push you under a capitol train" look… not in the murderous way, but in the way somebody hates out of resentment. A look Johanna was all too familiar with.

The journey to the Everdeen-Mellark household was not long. Nothing in District 12 seemed to be more than 15 minutes away. As Katniss opened the door, the smell of bread filled the air. A benefit of living with a baker Johanna supposed, a hint of resentment in the depths of her mind. Gale could cook alright, but nothing particularly complex like bread. They bought bread from the local bakers, and it was always cold and didn't smell as delicious by the time they'd bought it home. The house was warm and Katniss lead Johanna to an upstairs room that she'd never really used before. There were things Katniss wanted to talk to Johanna about. General things, about her health, her life, her friends, but also deep things like the loss of her sister, Prim. Katniss knew Johanna's family were murdered by the Capitol, but didn't know how close she was to them. She'd tried confiding in Peeta, but Peeta, being the youngest of 3, was not close to his siblings before they died and though he was sad they died in the bombings, he couldn't easily understand how she felt. Johanna was her only hope of talking to somebody who has a perhaps deeper concept of loss than she did. The games took everything from Johanna, her body, her emotions, and her family. And on some level Finnick- though Katniss did not know their relationship, it seemed like they were close, much like her previous relationship with Gale. Yet, after the event that passed between Johanna and Gale, Katniss felt like Johanna might not understand after all… No matter how many times Katniss thought herself silly thinking about this, deep down there was still a small element of jealousy. She knew she was wrong. Gale's doings were nothing to do with her. She had renounced all claims on him after the rebellion.

And the more Katniss thought about it, the more she thought about how good for each other they would be.

Sarcastic, idealistic, and totally and utterly ruthless.


	13. Chapter 13

Gale had noticed a crack appear in Johanna's armour a while ago. He thought it was just a nick; A small dent where she let out her real emotions if only for a second. Yet the longer he looked, the more he noticed how big this crack was growing.

He spent the night tossing and turning, thoughts of Johanna racing through his mind. His thoughts were unclear, cloudy, a mist over his true emotions that he had no control over. Was it just an impulse earlier? The kiss, a result of relief, and a result of the freedom he now felt? Or was there more behind it… a feeling… When he kissed her he felt a jolt. A jolt he'd only ever felt once before after kissing the only other romantic interest he cared about. Katniss. He could say her name now, without the rush of resentment behind it. The guilt was still there, but less so.

Gale woke with a smile on his lips. He felt alive, happy, but for no apparent reason. Gale jumped in the shower and prepared himself for another day. After these tedious preparations he ran downstairs and joined his mother in the kitchen who was cooking enough breakfast for a small army.

"Good morning mother" Gale grinned and hugged her from behind.

Hazelle was taken aback by Gales behaviour, but smiled regardless "Somebody's happy this morning. Something happened you want to talk about?" She slyly smirked at her son, flipping over the bacon she was frying. Now it was Gale's turn to be taken aback;

"I haven't the faintest clue what you are talking about." He replied, grabbing an apple off the table.

"I hope you're not going to eat that, I'm cooking this breakfast for you!"

"I'm not that hungry! Save it for the others. Where are they anyway?" He took a bite out of the apple.

"Posy and Rory went to the market to get some bread. They'll have probably gone to the Mellarks, Peeta tends to give them a good discount" She said absentmindedly "And Vick is probably still in bed." Hazelle paused "Will we be seeing Miss Mason today?"

"Call her Johanna. I do." He shrugged sitting down at the table.

"Okay, so will we be seeing Johanna today?"

"I don't know. I'm not in charge of her. Johanna does what she wants, but I'll ask."

Hazelle emptied her pan out onto a plate. "She's a lovely girl. Looking at her I can't believe she was a victor of those games! I mean, she was vicious!" Hazelle sounded as if she were trying to tell him something he didn't already know. It made him think back to the first night he saw her, the word fragile came to mind as he pictured her standing there in her dressing gown, pale faced and wide eyed.

Slipping on his old hunting boots and grabbing a jacket he left the house. As he walked the streets of District 12, he saw old friends getting on with their lives, many of them with partners and children on the way, all of whom were happy in their own blissful paradise. He didn't stop long to speak to them, just a few words here and there to neighbours and traders who lived through the war. He turned into the richer part of town and walked past the spot where the Undersee's used to live. Gale pictured Madge with her blonde hair and ribbons, too rich to feel the poverty around her, yet compassionate enough to try and understand him. She cared for Gale when Katniss had been reaped the first time, and would of happily done it a second time if he'd let her. He thought back to the day they had their first real conversation and smiled; Madge had followed him to the Hob in the rain, the second day Katniss was in the arena. Things were tough for him, having to provide for two extra family members by himself. He remembered how wet she looked, her hair a dark blonde clinging to her face, the colour drained out of what would have been a lovely blue dress, the same colour as her eyes. Madge had cornered him, thrusting money at him from every direction. He declined. Then she insisted he take her hunting, and he just laughed. She never gave up, and even followed him home until he said yes, and as hunters go, Madge did pretty well. As days passed, they grew closer and he would open up a little bit more. Then one day out of the blue, Madge kissed him. And he responded.

He shook his head not wanting to remember what could have been. What he'd denied her, and to some extent himself. He had to restrain himself nowadays from thinking about what could have been, and rested in the assurance that everything that happened, happened for a reason- yet he didn't like to think of himself as a believer in fate. It required him to have too much faith in the non-scientific.

He rounded the corner onto the road towards Victors Village and was ambushed by a very panicked Posy and Rory. "Gale you have to come quick!" Rory exclaimed. "We went to go see Katniss and Johanna, and all we can hear is crashing and banging and shouting from the house!" Gale's eyes widened. Somebody had snapped.


	14. Chapter 14

14.

Gale pushed open the door and stepped carefully inside. The argument seemed to have subsided- he couldn't hear any shouting, however the residue of a fight remained. The floor covered in broken crockery and overturned furniture. He stepped carefully around the broken pieces, righting things as he went. He found Johanna's wheelchair, broken in a corner and sighed, she probably couldn't wait to get rid of that. Looking around on the floor there was no sign of blood, which put his mind at ease slightly. Hopefully they were both still alive and hadn't managed to kill each other.

He called out "Katniss? Jo? Anybody still alive?" and waited for a response.

"We're in here Gale." replied Katniss, her voice emanating from the kitchen. He continued to dodge and jump over the broken shards of glasses and plates, and swerve around the furniture until he found himself in the kitchen. "What happened?" he said incredulous, before looking up at the sight before him. Johanna was in pieces, sobbing violently into Katniss' shoulder as Katniss patted her back. She didn't look up at him and he felt his heart break. Looking at her was like looking at an alien version of Johanna, he'd seen her sick and upset, but this was worse. She was broken. Gale wanted to run to her and hug her, wrap her up in his arms and tell her everything was ok. He looked at Katniss' face inquiringly and she just shook her head, as she continued to pat her back, and stroke her hair comfortingly.

He walked round the kitchen to where they stood as Johanna continued to cry hysterically into Katniss' shoulder. He guided her away from Katniss slowly into his own arms, whispering to her "C'mon Jo. Let's go and get some air." Before waiting for her reply, he picked her up and carried her limp, drained body out of the house and towards the fences of district 12.


	15. Chapter 15

15.

Katniss looked at the state of her house, and began the cleaning process. Never had she seen anybody fly so high, and drop so low. Johanna had had a nervous breakdown in the space of five seconds, but Katniss realised that what she said was wrong. Gale was none of her business anymore. She threw that away, with the death of her sister, yet there was something left within her. A shred of intense loyalty and care for him.

Johanna appeared to Katniss as an emotionless rock, (though currently she looked as fragile as a daisy) she always believed that Johanna had a strong mind, able to cover her true feelings with a kind of impenetrable armour. Yet somehow the argument between them had found the chink in the armour, she'd hit a nerve she didn't know existed. Clearly the topic of love was not a path Johanna cared to stray. Frankly she didn't like to stray there herself, until she met Peeta (and for a brief while Gale). Yet the words that poured out of Johanna's mouth would suggest that she had been thinking about love for a long time; and not in a good way either. She was heartbroken.

She thought back to the words that changed triggered it, something at the time she thought was harmless, _"What's going on with you and Gale then Johanna?"_

_"Nothing" she answered_

_"Really? I thought I saw you two kissing…." _

_"It's nothing Katniss." _

_"It didn't look like nothing"_

_"Katniss I really don't see how it would be any of your business even if there was something going on!" Johanna raised her voice._

_"It's all of my business, he was my best friend and…." Katniss couldn't finish, not really knowing how to continue._

_"You've ignored Gale for like two years! Stop being so goddam nosy and mind your own, Brainless!"_

_"There's no need to be like that Johanna!" She said defensively_

_"I'm not being like anything! It's you who's got the problem here! I'm absolutely fine!" She replied._

_"I start talking about relationships with you and you blow up at me! I'd say there was something up." She continues listing the things, trying to work Johanna out "Confused sexuality… A string of bad and crazy ex-boyfriends… A dead boyfriend" Katniss watched the fury in Johanna's face grow. She knew she should stop there but she couldn't. "No, no. Not for Johanna. None of that would bother you would it…" She began to speak more quietly. "The only thing that could get to you would be rejection. Rejection from the person who you loved most… rejection and embarrassment." Johanna snapped._

_Johanna lunged for Katniss' throat, screaming as she went. Katniss dived out the way, so Johanna hit the chair, which she preceded to throw over. Johanna threw plates and glasses towards Katniss, who ducked and swerved away from the projectiles. She continued smashing, punching and kicking for a few more minutes, before collapsing in an exhausted heap on the floor screaming up at Katniss. "Well Done Katniss! Is this what you wanted? To see me like this? To have worked out my life in the blink of an eye! To know that the ONLY man I ever loved rejected me? Rejected me for a crazy girl! I thought he loved me! He told me so when we were alone!" The screaming began to draw to an end, her voice breaking, and the tears started flowing. "He was the only one who could see through my anger, and sarcasm and he told me I was special and beautiful." She slowly began to cry more heavily. "We laughed and joked, and I could be my true self around him. I didn't care how he saw me as long as he did. He was like my family. Every year when we mentored together was like dream. He could take me away from the world we lived in a put me somewhere special where I wouldn't feel pain, and I'd make him laugh about the whole prostitution thing. We had a bubble Katniss, a bubble where we were both safe and nobody could get hurt. He held me at night when I couldn't sleep, and I held him when he couldn't sleep." It reminded Katniss of her relationship with Peeta. "He helped me when nobody else could, or would." She looked up meeting Katniss' eyes. "And now he's dead." _

Katniss had found Johanna's Achilles heel in the form of Finnick Odair.


	16. Chapter 16

16.

The afternoon sun beat down on Gale and Johanna as they sat in the meadow, the warm breeze ruffling their hair. Johanna had stopped crying but couldn't bring herself to speak. She sat in Gales lap as he stroked her hair, leaning against his chest, listening to the steady beating of his heart. She had supressed all of these emotions about Finnick for too long, that they all came spilling over. He had been her best friend since the age of 13 when she won her games. He was but 2 years older than her, yet every summer when they were made to mentor together he would take her under his wing. She never believed in love. Her parents didn't have it. None of her family had it either. The only person who ever showed her affection was her grandmother, but she had died when Johanna was only 10 years old. However Finnick loved her like a sister from the start. He could comfort her where nobody else could. When Johanna was 16 her family was murdered by the Capitol because she refused to follow the path they had chosen for her. She didn't go to the Capitol that year. She returned when she was 17, and was greeted by a different Finnick Odair to the one she had left. This Finnick Odair had succumbed to the Capitols demands. This time it wasn't Johanna who needed comforting every night, but she didn't mind. She realised she loved him more than anybody else and she told him so. He said he didn't want to be in a relationship, not just with her but with anybody, yet he still got the extras that came from being in a relationship with her, because she would do anything to be close to him. When Johanna was 19 she missed another year at the Capitol. She returned the next year, assuming she could pick up where they left off but Finnick rejected her, saying it would be wrong because he'd fallen in love with another girl, and not just any girl, but a fellow victor from District 4 named Annie Cresta, who Johanna knew to be crazy. She needed to move on from him, but the right opportunity never came because Finnick didn't understand distance, and she didn't want to experience it either.

Johanna lifted her head and looked up at Gale. His face up to the wind, his eyes lightly closed, enjoying the breeze. She'd never really noted how handsome Gale was, his skin a flawless olive, his bone structure strong yet soft at the same time. She stretched up and kissed his jaw lightly. Gale opened his eyes and looked down at her with a slight smile. "What was that for?" He whispered softly.

"Thank you. For everything."

"It's no problem." He grinned down at her cuddling her close. "I don't suppose you want to talk about it? I can totally understand if you don't and I know I should mind my own business but if you want to talk…" She interrupted,

"Finnick."

"What about him?" He swallowed, knowing where this was going.

"I loved him. Still do." Though he saw it coming, Gale was at a loss for words.

"Oh Johanna…" He squeezed her close to him, resting his chin on her head. She seemed to fit into him like a missing puzzle piece returned.

"It's okay Gale. I don't need your sympathy or anything… I promise I'm not going to cry again. Finnick was a bastard, but I still miss him. It's just all this talk of love bought back all these memories I supressed… I mean I never really dealt with his death at the time y'know." She rested her head back on his chest.

"This isn't sympathy Jo. This is empathy. You're not the only rejected one here." She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Okay so maybe you got it worse. You should know that if you ever want a shoulder to cry on, or shirt to wipe your face with I am always going to be here for you. I'm never going to reject you. You have my word, and my word is my life." She smiled. He paused. "So what was all this talk of love?" He smirked.

"It was nothing, just Katniss making assumptions…" Gale couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

"On what basis? We haven't even done anything… major." He added on the end remembering the kiss.

"Maybe we should? It would give her something real to assume. " She tested him with a new smirk on her face, her ear still pressed against his chest as his heart rate picked up. After a pause she sat up straight, still not moving from her position on his lap.

"How serious are you Johanna?" He narrows his eyes, testing her.

"Deadly." In an instant Gale was standing up, scooping her up with him as he stood.

"Are you sure Johanna? There's no going back afterwards" He smirked his face centimetres away from hers.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She closed the gap, throwing her arms around his neck kissing him wildly. And he kissed her back.


	17. Chapter 17

17.

**Johanna**

We spent the day in the woods, entwined within each other's arms. Gale radiated heat, I felt like I could curl up against him forever. I wanted to curl up against him forever. He made me feel safe, which was something I never thought I'd feel again, yet somehow safety wasn't the only thing I felt. I felt fire and heat within me- something I'd felt but once before with Finnick. I wanted to pull him close and kiss him right here, right now. I wouldn't, because somehow that wouldn't be proper considering I'm not really sure what we are to each other. Are we an item? Are we exclusive? (not that I've got any other offers) Is this a one-off? Is this a private thing or can I tell people? My head was full of thoughts and fire and dizziness. "Johanna what's wrong? I can feel your heart speeding up." He held me away and looked down into my eyes.

"Yeah everything's fine. Why wouldn't it be?" I bit back the truth. Gale raised an eyebrow.

"Don't lie to me Johanna. If we're going to be together don't lie to me."

"Are we together? I mean are we a… a…. a… thing?" I blurted out.

"Grow up Jo and say it. There are numerous "things" in this world, but if what you mean is a relationship, then yes. Yes we are in a relationship" He paused and looked quickly back down at me. "Unless you don't want to be, I mean, I'm totally cool with that. If you don't like me…" He'd come down with a case of verbal diarrhoea. I just smiled at him, he was adorable. His olive complexion, and wind ruffled dark hair looking at me with a worried expression and big puppy-dog eyes. I'd always known how handsome he was, but this was different. This was cute. I placed my hand on his cheek and caressed the shape of his jaw.

"Gale stop." He shut up and looked at me, eyes wide, slightly out of breath. "It's a relationship." As soon as the words were out my mouth, he changed from a cute boy, back to a handsome young man. With one brief smirk of arrogance his hand went to the back of my head forcing it towards his. His lips locked with mine and the fire returned, drawing me in nearer to him.

I don't care to say how long that lasted, but eventually we stopped kissing and began laughing, because life has a funny way of working itself out, things are always better on the second attempt, and that is the way our life continued. **Living, Laughing and loving. Right until the end. **

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**So my friends, that is it. I hope you enjoyed it, and I'm terribly sorry that the ending was so bad, but it had to draw to a close somewhere, and I thought this would be an opportune place. I'll say thank you for reading as it means a lot to know that there is somebody out there willing to read what's in my head. It has been a pleasure writing for you.**

**Please review.**

**If you have any suggestions or requests or questions about anything I've written, or anything you want me to write, please message me! I thrive off knowing what you think. **

**You've been a star. **


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